An electronic device that includes a display such as a notebook computer, media player, game device, or navigation device may include a display assembly and a base assembly. Typically, an edge of the display assembly is connected with the base assembly by one or more hinges or clutches so that the display assembly can be pivoted open to reveal the display screen of the display assembly to the user or closed to protect the display screen. To ensure that the electronic device stays closed, the electronic device may further include a latch mechanism for securing the display assembly in the closed position.
Conventionally, the latch mechanism may include a latch and a catch for securing the display assembly in the closed position. However, the latch and catch components may be vulnerable to impact damage and may pose significant reliability issues. To better withstand impact and wear, the latch and catch and other related moving components may be manufactured with high performance materials. However, the additional cost of the high performance material disadvantageously increases the overall cost of the electronic device. Further, such a latch mechanism occupies some amount of space and may need to be housed in gaps, voids, or recesses in the display assembly and/or the base assembly. These gaps, voids, or recesses may significantly compromise the structure and/or aesthetics of the electronic device and possibly allow debris and/or moisture to cause damage to the electronic device.
Alternatively, in some conventional configurations, a “pop-down” cam mechanism may be provided at the clutch to provide some force for resisting the unintentional opening of the display assembly. In other conventional configurations, a complex over-center mechanism may be provided to snap shut the display assembly and to keep the display assembly snap shut. Both of these alternative mechanisms typically require a large form factor to implement and therefore may be undesirable to users from an aesthetic point of view.
In some other conventional configurations, one or more magnets may be installed in the display assembly, the base assembly, or both to provide an attraction force for latching the assemblies. However, many other components of the electronic device may be sensitive to magnetic effects. As such, the use of magnets may complicate the design and arrangement of components inside the electronic device, which may require for example magnetic shielding to protect these sensitive components. Installation of magnetic shields may incur increased manufacturing cost as well as consume some of the internal space of the electronic device, resulting in an undesirably bulky final product.